Shinigami's Warrior
by Sage of Seals
Summary: Naruto has been gifted by Death itself. So, ironically enough, he must use this power to defend life- not just of humankind, but of the universe itself. And the Shinigami will be there, as his master to train and order him.
1. Prologue: Shadow

NOTE: IF YOU HAVE NOT YET READ _AND LET THE CHAOS COME_, READ IT FIRST AS THE PREQUEL TO THE TRILOGY OF _KAMI NO NARUTO_. OTHERWISE, CONTINUE READING THE STORY.

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**Shinigami's Warrior**

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_The night became tainted and shadowed with a presence, as the Kyuubi glanced up in fear and defiance. A figure lifted a hand and thrust it through the abdomen of a mortal, eliciting a scream of pain yet a shout of joy._

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Prologue

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Namikaze Minato, Yondaime Hokage of Konoha, stared in horror and awe, head curved upwards so as to be nearly horizontal, at the majestic deity that he had summoned.

The Shiki Fuuin had been planned by the Shodai, originally; indeed, the concept of a way to summon the majestic God of Death had existed for centuries. It was not until a sealing genius of Minato's caliber, though, that such an idea could be put into practice.

He'd only finished the seal itself a night ago: a last act of desperation dug out from a closet of old projects, and, as if by a miracle, had set the parameters right at last to bring forth the might of the Lord of the Grave. But nothing could prepare him, nor the surrounding shinobi, for the sensations that came next.

It began as a trickling feeling, falling down his spine until the blond Hokage grew paralyzed with fear as a deep and dark presence grew behind him. He mentally cheered in one small corner of his rational mind, knowing that he had succeeded. However, the rest of his mind and spirit were busy trying to fend off the taint of the touch of death that was breathing down his neck.

The Yondaime was a shinobi, and as such was not afraid of death. He had laughed openly in the face of danger, only gritting his teeth in determination when his loved ones were on the line- as they had been when the Kyuubi attacked.

The feel of the deity's presence spread, cloaking the land in shadows and covering the area as the wildlife and fauna not already destroyed by the fox curled up and died, life force gone and wasted. The shadow behind breathed and their souls fled.

It was then that Minato began to realize what he'd summoned.

Towering over the blond, the Shinigami stood erect, hovering with arms spread wide with a ritual dagger clenched in its mouth. Its pale skin was a poisonous red, tinged with grey, as if a representation of the rot settling into a corpse. Minato shuddered and felt fear once more.

The moon dimmed and the darkness itself seemed to glint off the knife, bringing a cruelty and indifference enough to topple the most steadfast spirit. The god's horns grew and twisted into a crescent, a mockery of the light the moon provided. Instead of reflecting light, the figure of the Shinigami seemed to draw in the light, not absorbing it, but vanishing it, clothed in utter blackness with a field of decay spreading out from the sides.

And then Minato _screamed_.

Pale, rotting hands engraved with seals and symbols of tongues long forgotten thrust themselves through has abdomen, the seal of the Shiki Fuujin already begin to appear on his navel.

Searing, tearing pain blossomed in the Yondaime's stomach and he twisted, feeling _wrongness_ spreading through him like a sort of disease, like an infection. A cancerous growth that was spreading throughout him.

And in his spirit, though, Minato welcomed it, knowing that without this sacrifice, the village was doomed to death, and so he knew he would willingly give his own life. His own son, at least, was worth that.

The Kyuubi itself was thrashing on the ground, foaming at the mouth as empty black chains tore themselves from the earth and wrapped themselves around its gigantic body, even its gargantuan size dimming in comparison to the aura of power radiated by the Shinigami. The fox screamed, a terrible sound, tearing into the minds of all who heard, scarring them with the shriek of a captured demon.

And so the hands shot out and grasped the Kyuubi by the shoulders, and _yanked_, grabbing onto the mighty beast from afar and pulling towards their owner, who stood still, a sickly expression on its face. A thing of light, yet poisoned by swirls of twirling black, flew out of the fox and was pulled toward the Yondaime who stood in shock and grim apprehension, awaiting the end.

And then the Shinigami opened its mouth and took hold of the dagger lying inside.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The Death God, upon flying through the portal, had been prepared to watch and wait, preparing for whatever task his master and brother had set for him. But, much to his surprise, he found himself drawn inexplicably to a specific location, behind a blond haired man who stood stone-faced as he faced off against a huge fox the size of a mountain.

The Shinigami stared: at least he knew where Inari's subordinate was now. Though the idea of having one's lieutenant go berserk was anathema to the immortal god, there was the proof right in front of him.

As his aura spread across the landscape, he felt a disturbance in the Kyuubi's own aura, bloodlust and hatred surging with huge strength, as well as another ancient, but familiar power. One so much more tainted and evil than his own power that he was himself frozen as he recalled the battles with the forces of Yomi.

Then he saw the symbols surrounding his person: the physical manifestation of a ritual long forgotten. Evidently, some mortal had found it and had remade it in the way that it had first existed: a soul for a soul. An act of self-sacrifice, and, looking at the scene, the Death God was not entirely unsurprised at the situation.

And so, following the ancient guidelines set through the deal he had made with those who had first created the seal, he reached through the Hokage's stomach, the place where all _chi_ of the body and spirit was made, and so the most spiritually active part of the body. Ignoring the man's scream of agony, Shinigami continued on his path, memories of his assignment currently pushed aside in favor of remembrance of an ancient ceremony.

It was only when he found himself moving to a new destination that the Shinigami found himself surprised once more. This man who had summoned him had evidently manipulated the seal so as to alter the performance of the ceremony. The Kyuubi, being a creature of Nature, possessed both _Yin_ and _Yang_ chakra, and so the Death God found himself separating them, taking one half of the energy while he guided the other half to the intended target: a bawling infant with a match to his own seal marked on his stomach.

Shinigami froze at the sight, as images assaulted his mind, thoughts and visions of a child, and of a boy who would be destined for greatness. _This_ was the one he had been sent to find. But first, the prescribed task had to be completed.

Withdrawing his arms from Minato's abdomen, the man fell, the spiritual energy coming through after along with the hands that clenched them as the soulless beast itself fell and disintegrated into dust that was spread along the four winds to every corner of the Earth.

The Yondaime's soul came along as well, and the Shinigami deposited in a side bag made for such a summoning, musing that such a man might perhaps be a good idea for a secretary- death did have an impressive bureaucracy, after all. So rather than devouring the summoner's soul, as legend believed, the Death God merely set it aside, and made to complete the final step of the ritual.

Reaching forward towards the babe, whose icy blue eyes were staring curiously at the figure hovering before him, the towering shadow swirled into darkness and reformed into what appeared to be a man, wearing a simple suit, with a dark look in his eye as he looked at the child.

Shinigami snapped his fingers and the arms of his ghostly avatar (for that's what it was) sped towards the small blond and the child wailed as the spirit of the Kyuubi, still screaming in agony, was sealed into behind the navel of the infant, the seal already appearing where it had been left on the child's father not moments before.

Finally, the last act came. The Shinigami inclined his head and the arms disappeared, their task completed. The god reached out a single finger, making to touch the baby on the chest, and connected. Instantly, the baby went rigid and shivered, tanned skin paling and eyes growing an even colder blue.

A small spark of shadow passed between the two and Shinigami nodded, pleased at the acceptance of its gift. The child would now have a connection to the Underworld that all other mortals lacked, one that would enable him to call upon the energies of death later in life. Deep in the darkness, shades crowed, elated that their master had found a heir, and Shinigami smiled icily in satisfaction.

He turned to go, and catching the small name written in the seal array on the babe's stomach, the Lord of the Grave smirked. _Indeed, Namikaze Uzumaki Naruto, we shall meet again._

And he disappeared in vortex of shadows and anguished screams- and was gone.

Minutes later, a battle-weary Sarutobi would come to find little Naruto and would know, sadly, that his beloved successor had sacrificed himself, using his own son as the receptacle. Inclining his head in respect as tears fell out of his eyes, the newly rechristened Sandaime Hokage leapt back to the village, newly unfrozen shinobi following in his wake.

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AN: This story goes along with fics _Inari's Guardian_ and _Kami's Messenger_. What's more, if you haven't read the prologue, **do it now**.

(Small note- the secretary remark was a shout out to a hilarious fic I read where Minato becomes the Shinigami's personal secretary/assistant. Hilarity Ensues)

R&R, please!

-SoS, out!


	2. Chapter 1: The Presence of Death

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Chapter 1

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As the sun slowly set over Konoha, leaves blew through the streets in small whirlwinds, making patterns that appeared and twirled yet dies within moments. Few people walked the streets, most civilians at home eating or relaxing, with many shinobi doing the same or being otherwise occupied on missions.

A lazy breeze drifted down the street, blowing across signs and posters that were left flapping in the wind. The breeze blew up the road, where it finally reached the bottom of a large red building, and it blew up the side and into a moderately sized room near the top. Inside, an old man was working hard.

"Argh," Sarutobi grunted to himself, shaking his head and resisting the urge to rip apart what he was holding in his hands at this second. "Can't they ever leave me in peace? I refused their request last month and my answer will stay the same!" he mumbled. "Denied." He tossed the paper to the side of his desk. The Sandaime got up and walked over to the window and stretched, joints popping loudly.

Sarutobi sighed, looking out over his beautiful Leaf Village. _Where the Will of Fire dwells…_ he mused, smiling sadly.

The Hokage turned around and walked back over to his desk. _So it's been eight years,_ he thought to himself. Eight years since the Kyuubi no Kitsune had attacked Konoha and the Yondaime Hokage had sacrificed himself so that they could all live. _Eight years since that blasted child up and left me with this paperwork!_ But his eyes twinkled in amusement even as they dimmed in remembrance, and in sorrow.

_Naruto…_ he thought from his chair, looking out the window once more.

The Yondaime's Legacy, the Uzumaki boy was known as amongst some of the higher shinobi clans. Though not looked down upon for his status as a jinchuuriki, his peers were often encouraged to ignore him by their parents. They could deny it, but Sarutobi could see the resentment in their eyes for the child. The Sandaime sighed and took a long drag from is pipe.

The civilians, of course, had no such restrictions. They gleefully seized upon any chance to belittle small Naruto, and it took all of his restraint not to go and scream at them to stop their foolishness. They would maliciously deny Naruto anything that he needed; even though the Hokage or an ANBU frequently accompanied him to market, any trader would up the prices to an impossible height once Sarutobi wasn't looking.

Luckily, Naruto hadn't ever been beaten- though a few drunks had made it a close call several times- but Sarutobi could see the clouding in his eyes. The boy was beginning to withdraw, the Sandaime saw, and he knew desperately knew that this was not the way it should be, that Naruto should be respected, cared for, _loved_- but it was all for naught.

The civilian council enjoyed rejecting his requests to provide more aid for Naruto, and he knew he had only himself to blame for allowing them to amass this much power. Even his old teammates, Homura and Koharu, now his advisors, despised the boy. Despite all of Sarutobi's pleadings, they only saw what they believed to be the reincarnation of the Fox- and with that, their hatred festered.

_Forgive me, Minato_, Sarutobi thought sadly. _I have failed you_.

Turning back to his papers, he only had time enough to take one lst breath of his pipe before an ANBU officer burst into his office. "Hokage-sama!" the man yelled. "We have a situation!"

Sarutobi's mouth went dry. "What is it?" he snapped.

"It-It's the Uchiha, sir!" the man said, stumbling over the words as if in disbelief.

"What about them?" Sarutobi said suspiciously. The peace talks had been going so well. Surely Fugaku could not have-

"They're-" the shinobi gasped, as if in denial. "They-They're all dead!" he burst out.

Sarutobi went cold. "What- How-?" he spluttered. The ANBU bowed his head.

"It appears that the Uchiha clan have almost all been massacred," the man said in a suddenly dead tone of voice. "Uchiha Sasuke has been retrieved, though whether he is still sane after seeing such things is debatable, and there is one other discrepancy."

"Uchiha Itachi is missing."

The words hit Sarutobi like a blunt hammer. All of the facts put together could mean only one thing. _Curse you Danzou! _he screamed in his mind. _And when things were starting to just look up!_

"I see," said Sarutobi carefully. "It appears that we may have a rogue ANBU." Neither of them said the obvious, that if Itachi wanted to escape, he would be nearly impossible to catch. "I want all posts on the lookout for the possible return of Uchiha Itachi. If he is found, report to me immediately." Sarutobi swept out of the room in a storm of cold fury, intent on getting to the bottom of the matter.

"Sir…?" the ANBU asked, but the Sandaime was already gone.

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Night fell.

Out on a playground, by the outskirts of town, a small silhouette sat, moving slowly back and forth on a swing like a pendulum. Back, and forth, back and forth… He stared quietly at the ground and wished desperately for someone to be there with him, even if it was to insult him- at least he'd be _acknowledged_.

Naruto shivered in the cold. Though it rarely snowed in Konoha- it had only done so once in his lifetime, about five years ago- the winters frequently dropped in temperature, and so anyone sitting outside was in for a cold night. Naruto shivered again and hugged himself tightly, hands clenching his thin black t-shirt.

Naruto looked up at the stars and smiled faintly as he began to go through his nightly ritual. "Mom…" he whispered, and there she was, a flash of red in the sky, which disappeared as soon as it appeared, fading away quickly. Her smiling face beamed down on him and he smiled faintly before a wind blew into him and he shuddered again, clutching his side.

He never knew why he could see her- he didn't even have any clear memories of his mother's face. But there she was, every night, waiting for him in the stars, and it lifted his heart, if only a little, to know there was someone who _cared_. Old Man Hokage might care for him most of the time, but it gave Naruto some small piece of comfort to know that there was at least one person who he could see whenever he needed. Dead or not, that memory was precious.

As he looked up at the moon, a tear dripped down his cheek. Suddenly, though, a darkened shadow passed across the light and he blinked- but the shadow was gone.

Out of nowhere, the darkened patch appeared again, blocking out the moonlight for a fraction of a second as it blackened his vision. Naruto looked around- and the darkness flashed across his eyes and he stumbled, blind for all of a few precious seconds.

Naruto looked around warily- he hoped this wasn't another of those attempted "attacks" by one of the villagers or resentful shinobi. Even as an eight-year-old, the blond jinchuuriki had a tendency toward the cynical, and he'd learned early that he would need to defend himself if necessary. With the crap Academy teaching he got, that would be difficult, but…

There! There it was again, making his pupils contract to nothing and he was blind and it was dark and he couldn't see and it didn't goawayandhewasthrashingand-

Darkness.

As he Naruto slowly came to, hours later, with the moon high in the sky, he would notice himself to be surrounded by whitened misty figures, looking at him sadly.

That was the night he met _them_.

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Naruto's mouth worked soundlessly, no language coming from his lips. Mouth too dry to speak, suddenly, he frantically tried to work some saliva into his gums. "W-Who-" he croaked softly. "Wh-Who are you?" One of the people came forward- Naruto's mind barely registered the fact that her feet were barely skimming the ground as she floated towards him- and looked down at him solemnly and silently.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked again, a little less shakily, but the woman didn't answer. She only shook her head, black hair swaying from side to side. It was then that Naruto looked up and saw the tears falling from her eyes. "Obasan…" he said quietly, and reached out to grab her hand to offer some form of comfort- and stopped, his hand appearing right in the middle of the woman's palm, neither touching nor making contact.

Naruto's eyes widened and he stumbled back in a panic, nearly not noticing the sallow-faced man who had appeared behind him glaring, black hair coming down to his shoulder. The shade- for that's what it seemed to be- gave Naruto a look of pain and loathing and the boy could only stumble, a cold feeling washing its way over his limbs.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked again in rising panic, and backed off, raising his hands to his face as if in protection or defiance. This time, another shade stepped forward and gestured toward a crest on his breast- a fan, separated into two parts, red and white.

Naruto blinked. _A shinobi? _he thought, and then opened his mouth to speak again. "How-?"

"They do not speak."

Naruto spun around and saw a hooded man, cloaked and foreboding, standing before him. A gulp rose in his throat and he crushed the urge to scream, to run. "Who are you?" he rasped one final time, and flinched as the man's hand rose up to the hem of his cloak, pulling the hood down.

Naruto took another step back and stared. The man stood before him, chin raised proudly and dark ebony hair standing deathly still, even though there was a chill wind blowing across the yard, sweeping across everything that stood there. Naruto noticed, somehow, in some final rational part of his brain, that the man's garments did not move with the wind either- they simply stood, unaffected, waiting…

Naruto shut his eyes and shook his head, blond hair dancing wildly in the cold air, and opened his eyes again. This time he took in the man's face and this time he did not stifle his gasp.

The man stood tall and proud, his chin raised in some form of pride and authority. His mouth was set in a flat line, though it did occasionally twitch in some direction; whether upwards into a smile or downwards into a frown, Naruto did not know. And then there were his eyes. _His eyes…_

There: large and black, deep and thoughtful. There was a flash and Naruto felt a sense of cruelty, of a need for vengeance, and of cold fury, easily erupting from an otherwise immobile statue. He saw coldness and shadow, there, and he shivered, old memories crossing his mind in an instant then fading away to nothing. Naruto took in a deep breath and looked at the rest of the man.

Standing there in a strange form of suit- when had he gotten rid of the robe? - the man stood there as if he had a kind of mandate, a_ right to _stand there- and it felt, in every ounce of meaning in the words, that he was correct. He did not stand, he did not wait, but he _was_, excluding a feeling of power and age from his every pore. Naruto stood, entranced in the darkened aura that emanated from this man and knew- _this was power._

"They do not speak," the man repeated, and Naruto gulped at the look in his eyes.

"What- what do you mean they won't talk?" the boy asked, silently congratulating himself on not squeaking in fear. "They-they're there, aren't they?" He stared back at the tall man, trying to summon up some spirit of defiance, some form of steel- but none come.

The man laughed softly to himself, like broken glass shattering. "I said that," he said. "Because they have no mouths to speak with. The spirits of the dead have no reason nor ability to communicate with the living."

Naruto went cold once more. "You mean… they really are-"

"Dead?" asked the man, an eyebrow raised. "Indeed, they are deceased- gone from this plane of existence. I am only here to bring them home," he said, holding out a hand, and the spirits slowly faded from existence, no spark of life or thought in their cold, dead eyes. "So you are the one," the man said under his breath, and Naruto jerked up, trying to hear what the man had just said.

The tall man turned to go, and Naruto stood up abruptly. "Wait!" he called out, and the man halted.

"Yes?"

"Who are you?" Naruto asked, holding his breath and hoping for a response.

"You may call me Shinigami," the man said quietly, after a few moments of deliberation, and moved to resume walking.

"Shinigami…" mumbled Naruto. "Huh… wait!" he yelled out again, and the stranger stopped. "Wait, do you mean 'Shinigami' as in the kami?"

The Shinigami paused. "Exactly," he said softly, and a shiver went up Naruto's spine.

And then the god was gone.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Naruto stared after the empty spot that had just been occupied not moments before, the inky blackness that was suddenly present in place slowly fading from sight. "Shinigami…" he muttered, and he fell over, out cold, still fearful and apprehensive of his new discoveries of that night.

It came over like a whisper on the breeze, sounding softly inside his ear.

_So you are the one that the God of Death as chosen as an heir…_

In the darkness of the night, the boy's face paled and his eyes snapped open, an icy blue holding still everything in their path.

And then they closed and everything was silent.

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AN: Short update, I know, but longer than the prologue at least.

R&R!

-SoS, out!


	3. Chapter 2: A Meeting

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Chapter 2

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"GAH!"

Naruto's eyes shot open and he looked around frantically, but saw nothing. Nothing was left of the people he had seen the night before. All that was left were fine clouds of mist and grasses waving in the breeze.

Naruto put a hand to his head and groaned. _Did that…last night…really happen?_ Blinking, the blond sat up slowly, taking in everything around him.

The sun was rising, though it was still barely on the horizon, and the sky was still dyed a velvet blue. Single beams of light, orange and yellow, streaked through the sky, brightening the darkness with rays of color. The moon was still barely visible, descending past the Hokage Mountain, and fading fast in the coming light.

In that moment, a light glanced off of an object, and it shone, however briefly, into Naruto's eye. He winced at the brightness and leaned back, hand over his face. After a moment, though, the whiskered blond slowly opened his eyes and reached out his hand to where the light had come from. After grappling in the near-darkness for a few seconds, his hand finally closed on something small and cold. Exhaling slowly, Naruto brought the object closer to his face.

At first glance, it was a simple lump of metal- blackened silver, with small bumps protruding from it in various areas. But looking closer, it was something entirely different. Naruto's breath caught as the increasing sunlight caught it as he was trying to get a clearer view- it wasn't just a piece of metal.

It was a skull.

Naruto gasped at the object- smooth and rounded, reflecting the light off of the thing's whitened surface. In some places it was shadowed; in others, it was as bright as a torch, beams of brightness rebounding off of its rounded cheekbones.

Its grin was awful and full of malice, and the empty eye sockets were filled with an image and caricature of amusement and evil. Over the blackened eyes were the silver kanji for _Shi-ne_ (_death_), all to well reflecting the overall mood of the piece- and the direction Naruto's thoughts as well as memories were turning toward, too.

Naruto gulped as he remembered the tall, darkened figure from last night. _Shinigami…_ a wind blew across the grass and the light seemed to dim at the whispered name on the lips of the breeze. Naruto shivered; whether it was reality or dream, he did not want to feel that aura of emptiness again anytime soon.

He remembered the whispering figures, and was glad to notice that the clearing was devoid of any life but himself.

…_But what if… _

…_What if it wasn't life?_

The blond shook his head harshly, squinting his eyes shut, and made to throw the skull away- but stopped. He wanted- no he _needed_- to throw it out, to get rid of it- but couldn't. He could think about the action, he discovered, but could not finish the motion of actually getting rid of the grinning visage.

It seemed to stick to his flesh, with some otherworldly grip of coldness, and Naruto tensed ad closed his eyes again, squeezing them…

…And then relaxed, and dropped it into his pocket, the rounded object bouncing off the sides of the fabric before coming to rest at the bottom.

Breathing heavily, Naruto lumbered off to his apartment.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

On a table, next to a bed where Naruto was slowly and deliberately trying to fall asleep once more, even as the sun started to look inside, a certain skull began to change. It folded in on itself, molding into a smaller and thinner shape. At the end, the finished product was a medallion, hanging like a pendant from a black obsidian chain, with the skull's grin beaming from the center of the medal.

From a darkened corner of an alley visible through the window, a tall dark figure nodded to itself, then vanished into the shadows.

Naruto groaned and turned over in bed, ignorant of what was about to happen to him, changing his life forever.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Naruto woke later in the morning, lethargically reaching for his goggles before yawning, putting the headgear on as he stretched. Scratching himself, he slowly got out of bed and got dressed, pulling on his shirt one sleeve at a time. Standing up straighter, Naruto went over to the kitchen and made himself some instant ramen- an obvious choice for breakfast.

He sat and ate, trying to forget what he had seen last night, but the images kept coming back to him. He rubbed his eyes, still tired from staying up late, but also hoping to rub away the shadowed figures that he had seen. And that other person…

_Was that really…the Shinigami?_

Naruto shuddered. From stories, he knew that the Shinigami would only appear when you were dead, so…

He pinched himself and exhaled slowly. Nope, didn't seem like he was dead. But if he wasn't dead, then what could that mean? Hopefully, it had all been just a dream, but why would he dream of something like that? Most of what he could remember was of a large group of people who looked like shinobi, all with a red and white fan on their clothes. Naruto didn't remember seeing anyone when he had left the park earlier that morning, so he decided he wouldn't bother going back. The Death God, he hoped, was just some kind of vivid dream.

Naruto shook his head and put his chin in his hands; this wasn't getting him anywhere. Best just to forget any of this happened; after all, with all the villagers in town hating him, he didn't want to be _more_ out of place, especially with a possible connection to the Lord of Death.

Oh, how wrong he was.

Naruto ambled over to the door, reaching slowly for the knob, when something caught his eye. He turned and jerked his head, only to see a grinning medallion of a skull staring back up at him.

The blond's mouth dropped open. He _had_ brought home some kind of skull thing earlier, but that had been actually _skull_-shaped, not like some freaky pendant. Trying to clear his mind, Naruto once more felt that urge to grab the medallion, to take it with him, to-

He slapped his hand away, the one that had been reaching for the skull, which was smirking as if it were mocking him. "No," Naruto growled, more to the skull than himself. "I'm not falling for this again." And with that, he dashed out the door.

From the medallion came a wisp of inky darkness, coalescing into a grim smile with a voice that echoed throughout the room.

"**Oh, you shall come to me soon enough, Uzumaki Naruto, soon enough."**

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Naruto sighed as he looked up lazily at the board; he squinted, trying to read what was written, but that was rather difficult, seeing as he had never actually been taught to read and had mostly puzzled out the meanings on his own. So, instead, he was reduced to simply staring toward the front of the class without any real idea of what was going on. It wasn't _his _fault that the instructors somehow all hated him.

"Uzumaki!" called out Naruto's present sensei, a short, unpleasant man named Kaidou. "What was the name of the wife of the First Hokage?" He smirked evilly; surely the little brat couldn't answer this!"

He got his wish. "I dunno," Naruto said tiredly.

It was all the man could do to stop laughing. Look at that! The almighty Kyuubi, reduced to such a state! Still appearances had to be maintained. Closing his eyes. Kaidou shook his head sadly, as if in disappointment. "I'm sorry Naruto, but that was the wrong answer." Seeing the kid slouch over in disappointment was just the icing on the cake.

Naruto went through the rest of the day in a daze, not even bothering to answer any questions or ask any himself. Though, at this point in time, he was feeling a bit more solemn and sober than he would later in life, he had taken it to the highest level at this point, with nothing crossing his mind but the odd flash of that damned medallion.

He didn't even skip out with Shika and Chouji, and that for him _was_ a shock. Instead, he just sat there, staring emptily into space, with that grinning visage looking right back at him. He didn't even take in Sasuke's absence, the rumors of the Uchiha Massacre ringing hollowly in his ears.

When the bell finally rang, Naruto just trudged out, his instructor having long given up trying to get a rise out of the boy. He walked quietly through the halls, and a particular young chuunin, having just newly transferred to the Academy, watched the self-proclaimed dreaded "Prank Master of Konoha" lumber by in shock and surprise. Before anyone could say anything, though, Naruto was out the door.

Naruto walked down the road, a dark cloud hanging over his head and features. Even citizens who usually jeered at him and blocked his path stayed out of his way today, almost as if they could feel the aura that was beginning to come from the boy. He could feel the pull, calling him, and it was all he could do to watch where he was going. It seemed that the longer he spent away, the more he needed to resist it, and he wasn't sure of how much longer he could do it.

Suddenly, Naruto felt an abrupt _yank_ on his body, and he stumbled into a dark alleyway, where he looked around frantically before a sudden light appeared in front of him, and Naruto _stared_.

There, floating right in front of him, not four feet off of the ground, was the medallion, only now, it was different. The light was an eerie blue, and it seemed to emanate from the eye sockets, whose gaze Naruto could feel boring into him, observing and watching. He drew a breath and didn't release it; whatever was going on, he had no idea what.

"**So you have chosen."**

Naruto gave a visible start and he yelped, jumping back a foot. Suddenly, though, he felt the same aura that the villagers had been feeling all day, only _much _stronger. With a squeak, Naruto slowly turned around, only to freeze in place without a sound.

There, standing in front of him, was the being from last night, eight feet tall or more, with blood red horns jutting up from its hideously grinning head. In a flash of inky darkness, though, the monstrosity was replaced by a man, a very familiar man, dressed in a simple business suit, and eyeing Naruto with a firm yet somewhat impatient look.

When he spoke, it was not in a normal voice, but rather in a tone of voice that belied his apparent size and power, and through it, Naruto could hear screams and yells for help that were soon silenced.

"Wha-…what do y-you mean?" Naruto stuttered out after a few seconds of staring at the larger figure before him. "Wh-who are you? A-are you r-really-"

The man nodded impatiently. **"Yes, indeed; I am the one you mortals refer to as the "Lord of Death."**

With that, Naruto fell to his knees, every cell, every fiber of his being screaming defiance as his mind locked up and froze. "So it really happened," he mumbled, nearly unable to fully comprehend what was going on. "You really are…Shinigami-sama."

"**And don't you forget it." **The deity's smile was firm and cold; Naruto shivered just looking at it. **"But fear not; I haven't come for the collection of your own miniscule soul, not today. Instead, I come for my own reasons."** At that, Naruto's head jerked up, mouth forming a silent question that failed to pass his lips.

"B-but…why? What do I have to do with anything?" As Shinigami raised his hand, Naruto fell silent, not wanting to anger a god.

"**My brothers have their own agendas, and, as such, they will be keeping their reasons secret for some time to come."** The god ignored Naruto's confusion and continued on. **"I, however, see no need for such evading nonsense; knowledge must always be spread, and so it is worse than useless to withhold such."** His grin held such cruel humor that Naruto scrambled back a few inches, still nearly frozen in place by the god's aura.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

The Death God took a single breath before beginning. "**Eons ago, at the beginning of time, us gods were born from the breath and union of Izanagi, our divine father, and Izanami, our mother. Our father created the earth and the heavens, and our mother created the Underworld.**

"**Our parents slowly began to drift apart due to the influences of their respective realms. Izanagi devoted himself to the wonders of the universe, and Izanami became entrenched in the darkness of the world of Death, and slowly, her mind rotted along with her body and soul." **Naruto listened, entranced.

"**On the day that our father left this universe to seek out other places of creation, Izanami struck; in her madness, she sought to control the universe with the strength of Yomi, which was what the Underworld was then called. She waged war upon her own children, and it was Kami, Inari, and myself who were at the forefront of the battle, being the firstborn and strongest of the gods.**

"**The war was waged for millennia, but eventually we succeeded in sealing away Izanami and Yomi into another pocket of infinite darkness, hopefully sealing them for all eternity.**

"**And so we ascended, taking the positions of our absent parents. Kami reigned over the heavens and I took the Underworld, no longer a place of madness, but one of simple darkness. Together, we formed the balance of Yin and Yang, the ultimate expression of balance in the Universe. However, we were soon joined by our brother Inari, who ruled the world of Nature, and so the energy of **_**Chi**_** joined Light and Dark.**"

The Shinigami turned his steely gaze onto Naruto. "But," Naruto sputtered. "If everything is fine, then why are you coming to me? I have nothing to do with this!"

The Death God's expression was grim. **"You may think not, but you have more to do with this than you may ever know." **Naruto's eyes widened. **"For I will now tell you the reason of why you are hated in this village."**

The look in Naruto's eyes was sobering. The idea of discovering why he was nearly universally despised was sure to strike deep within his psyche, and if it had to do with the God of death, he was dreading finding out more than just a little bit. "Wh-why?" he eventually managed to stutter out. The Shinigami shook his head sadly before answering.

"**Eight years ago, the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked the village of Konohagakure, and was defeated, on October 10****th****. **_**Your **_**birthday." **Naruto's eyes widened- apparently, he hadn't yet made that connection.

"**But the Fourth could not kill the Kyuubi."**

"What do you mean?" Naruto burst out. "All of my teachers-"

"**Have no concept of that which I speak," **Shinigami interrupted. **"Only I know the absolute truth of what happened that night.**

"**The Yondaime could not destroy the fox, so he settled for the next best option- he sealed it away." **Horrible, terrifying comprehension was beginning to dawn on Naruto's face. **"Due to the huge energy of the Kyuubi, the only place to seal it was within the not-yet developed chakra coils of a newly born infant. You, Naruto."**

Naruto froze. Everything…everything made sense now.

_Freak!_

_Monster!_

_Demon!_

_FREAK!_

"So it's true," he mumbled, hair falling over his eyes. "I really am the Kyuubi; I really am a monster."

"**HA!"** Naruto looked up, startled at the display of mirth by the god before him. **"You dare compare yourself to the Kyuubi no Kitsune, foremost of the generals of Inari's army, boy? You are nothing more than a container, a jail, for the fox. I believe that the oft-used comparison would be 'a kunai and a sealing scroll', perhaps."**

This was too much for Naruto. He finally found out the reason why he was hated and now he learned it was for no good reason? "Then…wh-why do they hate me?" he choked out, anger replacing shame by the minute.

Shinigami eyed him gravely. **"It is because they are fools; ignorant of the truth. The seal that your Fourth Hokage attempted required the summoning of a god- me in fact."**

"**I was able to seal away the fox, but did it solemnly- for the attack was not his fault." **That got Naruto's attention. **"The true perpetrator was a mortal named **_**Madara Uchiha**__," _he spat. **"And he did it with the power of Yomi- for Izanami has begun to free herself once more, putting all of creation at risk again."** Naruto froze.

"**And so it has come full circle, and the universe is in danger of being destroyed. However,"** Shinigami said in seeming frustration. **"Us gods are forbidden from intervening directly in the lives of mortals- even though that is exactly where Yomi has begun to act! And so, as as happened in the past, I have been required to choose an avatar, one who can channel my power into the mortal plane to stop Izanami once and for all; one who has been gifted with my mark at birth."** Naruto stopped breathing.

"**And my choice is you, Uzumaki Naruto.**

"**The minute you picked up the symbol of my office, that skull, you accepted your position as my hand on Earth, and so you must be soon prepared to carry out my will."**

With all of the huge amounts of information that had been unloaded upon poor Naruto in the past few minutes, he did the only thing possible to him at the moment: he fainted, leaving Shinigami as the only conscious being left in the alley.

The deity looked upon the boy with distaste, though there was a small amount of fondness present as well. He had watched Naruto grow up, and few people would be able to survive such a life without becoming bitter and withdrawn, dark and driven to madness.

With a nod and a motion, the two disappeared from the alley in a swirl of shadows, leaving it empty once more, but for the wind and the leaves.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Naruto lay in his bed, his apartment empty except for one other presence.

The Shinigami stood tall in the room, looming over the bed next to the counters piled high with old ramen containers, and looked down at his chosen one.

_**You have been chosen for great things, Uzumaki Naruto, and survive them you must.**_

_**You will begin training forthwith, without delay, and I hope that you are ready.**_

_**For you must be.**_

And Naruto was alone once more.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

AN: Hello, and here's another chapter of _Shinigami's Warrior._

Just a heads-up: as you can see, each of the gods will have their own M.O. of dealing with their chosen ones, and the time they spend on them and where will vary. Just for the record, Death!Naruto's training begins NOW.

Oh, and for the record, I'm adopting a new policy: normally, I'll update a story maybe once every one/two weeks, BUT, if I get 15+ reviews on a chapter, I'll update the next day, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Cool, huh? (Oh, and this applies to all my stories, mmkay?)

R&R!

-SoS, out!


	4. Chapter 3: Introductions

AN: Went to the Statue of Liberty yesterday. It had a great view, though I'm pissed that we couldn't go INTO the statue itself, just the pedestal. (*pouts*)

So, here is the next chapter of…whatever.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter 3

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Naruto stirred in his bed, flashes of darkness and shadows boring their way into his dreams- though they weren't nightmares. He grunted and rolled over, arm dangling over an empty ramen cup.

"**Wake.**"

If Naruto could have jumped through the roof, he would have. Instead, he jerked straight up, looking around frantically as he grabbed the half-forgotten kunai lying on his night table. His eyes quickly scanned every area of his apartment- after all, having one's house broken into tends to bestow a sense of wariness. Imagine his surprise, though, when from the shadow cast by his bed, a figure rose up, eyeing him.

"**So you have instinct. Good.**"

Naruto's breath caught in his chest. "Shini-Shinigami-sama?"

The figure stood tall and scowled. "**Indeed. Though I would prefer to expect more of a respectable place of habitation than…this."** He gestured around the room, taking in the disorganized clothes and old instant ramen cups. Naruto blinked and grinned sheepishly.

"Eh…sorry."

"**It is of no consequence, though as per your new station, I will soon expect a certain level of…decorum.**"

Naruto's attention was quickly piqued, although the rational part of his brain was still screaming at him to get FAR away from this situation. "Yeah…about that."

"**Yes?"**

Naruto gulped. "I…er…you said something last night about me being 'your hand', whatever that meant. And now…um…you're talking about 'my station' and all. So…I…erm…"

"**Get on with it, boy.**"

"I don't understand!" Naruto burst out. "What's going on? What's happening? What's going to happen to ME? I just…"

Naruto quickly broke down, uncomprehending of his entire situation. The deity only looked down at the blond with a touch of annoyance, though he was a bit worried as well. Naruto needed to have his will steeled, and that must happen quickly.

"**Naruto."**

At the sound of his name, Naruto froze.

"Y-yes?"

"**I have a few things to explain to you, **_**child**_**, and you would do well to listen." **Naruto promptly stilled.

"**Now. What I have done is something that has been unnecessary for millennia- but not now. You see, on that night all those years ago, I gave you my mark, showing that you would be the one to serve under me. In short, Uzumaki Naruto, I have made you my apprentice."**

You could have heard a pin drop.

"But…why me?"

The god almost groaned. Really; couldn't the boy be a bit more intelligent than this. "**I will give you three reasons. First, you were the most available vessel that I found to contain my gift. Secondly, you hold the Kyuubi, whose seal was made by **_**myself**_**, and this power and training will allow you to control it, as well as, if you wish, dispose of it." **Naruto's mouth was gaping now.

"**But! This will be no simple task. You will have many long and arduous tasks ahead of you, Uzumaki Naruto, and you must be prepared for all of them. For I will be sending you on my own missions, not just the wastes that this **_**shinobi**_** village treasures so much. As I said, you will be my hand, and my avatar. For even a fallen angel has responsibilities."**

Naruto gave a strangled squeak, as well as what the god assumed was close to a salute. _**This will take some work.**_

"**Now, mortal, as you have no work at the Academy today, I shall introduce you to the basics of your apprenticeship."** Naruto could only nod dumbly at this. **"We will now travel to what I believe this village calls 'The Forest of Death.' "** Naruto shivered at the sadistic look in his new sensei's eyes.

"**Now. Grab onto my hand.**" Naruto tentatively reached out, hand shaking and sweating- and then their palms touched.

And all was gone in a mass of swirling shadow.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Lights flashing- murky darkness flooding across his sight- shadows flaring and curling around his body- a feeling of compression, and one of stretching- and then-

Naruto heaved, sputtering as he threw himself to the ground, wanting desperately to throw up.

"Wh-what was _that?_"

Shinigami looked down at the blond disapprovingly. "**That was shadow travel, boy, and it is one of the most important and vital skills that you will learn in the times to come." **Naruto could only nod weakly before he fell over again, face blanching to a pale white.

"Ugh…"

The god only shook his head slowly. If Uzumaki was to survive, he had to start getting stronger immediately. **"Now,"** he said, as soon as Naruto stopped emptying his stomach. **"As the God of Death and, more importantly, as the one who created that technique, I could easily have made that an easier trip for you. In fact, if I did, you would not, at present, be caught in the act of befouling the ground where you have landed."** Naruto gave a weak grin at that, blinking sheepishly.

"Heh…but, then why…?"

The Shinigami gave a derisive snort. **"It was to provide an example, child, and, hopefully, it is one that you will not soon forget.**" He looked Naruto directly in the eye and the blond jinchuuriki suddenly once more felt that oppressive aura of death and foreboding.

"**The things that I will teach you to use…are not toys. They are weapons.**"

Naruto quickly nodded in understanding.

"**Secondly, the things that I will have you do as my servant will be full of risk, as well as potentially lethal. Thus, you must take everything else that I tell you with full seriousness. This is not a game, Uzumaki Naruto."**

Naruto's eyes were wide and his ears were open in an attempt to remember everything that the god was saying.

Shinigami's glare softened somewhat, though he still carried an air of danger. **"Be grateful that I only gave you an upset stomach, child, and do not test me." **Naruto gulped, but eventually managed a sickly grin and a bow of respect. The god smiled to himself. _**Perhaps you can be taught some.**_

"Uh, Shinigami-sama?" Naruto asked carefully.

"**Yes?"**

Naruto looked at his feet. "I was wondering…what exactly are you going to be teaching me?"

"**Tell me, boy. You want to be Hokage of this village, do you not?"** Naruto blinked.

"Er, well… I used to."

"**And?"**

"But, the thing is…now I'm not sure that it's possible." Shinigami raised a questioning eyebrow at the child. Surely he hadn't given up _that_ easily?

Naruto quickly raised his hands in protest. "It's not like I don't want to…" he said loudly. "It's just…"

_I'm not sure if this village will ever let me…_

The God of Death eyed the boy carefully. Pensiveness was an ideal attribute, but if Naruto was thinking negatively, then he had begun to lose his determination- and that would not sit well with the deity. **"Listen to me, boy." **Naruto looked up, eyes blinking owlishly. **"It is good that you have begun to think things through. However, what you have done is given up on your dream, and that is no more than running away- an act of cowardice." **Naruto flinched.

"**And I despise cowards."**

Naruto looked down, eyes closed and solemn. So Shinigami-sama _did_ hate him too…

Naruto was interrupted from his moping by a hand on his shoulder, and he slowly raised his eyes to see the Shinigami.

"**I said that I despise **_**cowards**_**, boy, and what you have done is not enough to merit as such. If you can see ahead, your path- and dream- are still there, waiting, and you can reach it- but only if you apply yourself." **Naruto's breath caught.

"**You will begin your lessons today, and I will begin with outlining what you will learn from now until you graduate the Shinobi Academy, upon which you will start doing missions for myself. So…are you prepared to begin?"**

Naruto nodded quickly. "Hai!"

"**Very well…"**

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Naruto sat very still, seated on a rock. Before him stood the Shinigami, standing tall and proud. The god fixed Naruto with a dull stare and the boy sat at rapt attention.

"**So. We will be learning many things in the years to come- and, though it is not my primary objective, these lessons will eventually prove invaluable to your quest to become Hokage."** Naruto smiled widely- he finally had a teacher who would help him! This was great!

"So, what are we-"

"**Do not interrupt me when I am speaking, Uzumaki."** Naruto nodded rapidly, head bobbing up and down.

"**While I am your teacher, you will not call me by my title, nor will you utilize any honorifics when speaking to or of me. You will simply call me Sensei. Is that understood? Good.**

"**Primarily, you must understand that being a Hokage is not only about strength and power, no matter what you may individually think. And I will not settle for an unintelligent student- and neither, I think, will the Kyuubi that you hold."** Naruto winced slightly at the reminder of his prisoner; after all, the wounds were still fresh from his discovery. He could understand the reactions of the villagers, as well as their general attitudes, but only to a point, and he still resented both them and Old Man Hokage, the latter for not telling him sooner of his burden.

"**So, in addition to Shinobi and, as well as your lessons in the power of Death, we will also be having…academic studies."** Naruto's eyes were wide open. _What? No-_

"**You will learn basic strategy, language, politics-"**

_Nononono-_

"**Mathematics, calligraphy, sciences-"**

_Nonononononononono-_

"**History, reading and writing."**

_Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!_

Ignoring the whitened boy in front of him (whose mind was currently occupied by a chibi-Naruto crying his eyes out and rolling on the floor), Shinigami took a perverse sort of pleasure in the prospective suffering that the Uzumaki was imagining. Though, of course, he refrained from showing any actual emotion. Appearances had to be maintained, after all.

Naruto abruptly came to from his reverie of internal sobs and suffering to notice that his new mentor was staring at him with impatience and annoyance. "…Yes, sensei."

"**Very well. In addition, I will be teaching you a particular martial art, a taijutsu style, as you call it."**

_That_ got Naruto's attention focused back immediately.

"**I will also teach you basics of the shinobi arts- for you will not be going to the Academy anymore, at least not personally."**

Naruto gaped. "But…but sensei! How will I graduate if I'm not-"

"**Silence."**

Naruto shut his mouth.

"**I would ask for you to discontinue your interruptions and arguments; however, considering who I am dealing with, that would be less than likely." **Naruto nodded dumbly.

"**For now, whenever I order you to do something, assume that I have my reasons that I will share if ready. I have already informed you of the larger reason of why I am taking you on, and so going further than that in that direction will not be necessary.**

"**To answer your attempted question, you will not personally be going to the Academy- our time is far too valuable for you to be wasting it at that mediocre training ground." **Naruto nearly shouted back at the Shinigami for insulting his village, but quickly remembered himself and stayed silent.

"**Furthermore, as I said, you will not personally be going to this school of yours- though you will experience every lesson."** Naruto wisely kept his mouth closed.

"**There is a technique known to Konoha ninja as Kage-Bunshin no jutsu: the Shadow Clone technique. It creates physical clones of oneself that can interact with various objects and people, and is only limited by one's amount of chakra. One of the lesser-known aspects of the jutsu, however, is that when a clone is dispelled, all of its learnt information is given back to its creator, making such a clone invaluable for infiltration missions.**

"**However, I will not be teaching you this move."**

Naruto's mouth hung open, and if he had been more expressive, the Shinigami would have chuckled at the look on the boys face. Shaking his head, the god continued.

"**No, I will be teaching you a different technique, one that will reflect the effects of the Kage Bunshin, though without the drawbacks that lie inherent in the form of a simple clone. With your chakra levels, you would be able to make as many as perhaps fifty clones, though with this technique, you will only be able to produce one- and it won't be much of a clone, nor will it use chakra to be activated."** Naruto was staring blankly at his teacher now.

"But…you said that it would be a clone technique, and now it isn't? Exactly what are you going to teach me?"

Naruto shifted uncomfortably under his teacher's stare. **"You will find that out in due course. For now, though, I want you to meditate."**

Naruto's mouth worked soundlessly, before the order registered with him. "Ah! Right…er…meditate." With that, he quickly sat back down and crossed his legs, closing his eyes and attempting to breathe slowly- an effect that was spoiled by the fact that he kept opening his eyes and peeking at the clearing every few seconds.

Shinigami could have slapped himself on the forehead. Could the boy do _nothing_ correctly? **"No. This is completely incorrect."** Before Naruto could protest, the god had moved over to his side and was telling him what to do.

"**You have been learning hand kata, handseals in the Academy, correct?"** Naruto nodded, uncomprehending of where he was going.

"**I will teach you my personal seal, the one which can be used to invoke my power. The sign of **_**karasu**_**, the raven. Put your hands together so that they are straight, and touch your palms together, as well as focusing on the medallion that I have given you.**" Naruto quickly obeyed, feeling the cold touch of metal on his chest.

"**Now, close your eyes- do not open them!- and focus on the feel of the wind on your face, and on your hands. Hear the sounds that enter your ears, but block them out. Concentrate on your heartbeat, and on your breathing, slowly bringing them to down to a lower level."**

Naruto relaxed. His eyes closed, the breeze dancing across the bridge of his nose. He heard the sounds of the leaves rustling, of the birds chirping- and blocked them out. He had no place for them. Focusing in on his breathing and on his pulse, he slowly, ever so slowly, inhaled, and then exhaled. Inhale, and exhale. Breathe in-

_BuBump._

Breath in- wind through the trees- no!

Focus…

_BuBump._

_BuBump._

_Bubump._

And then the darkness faded.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Naruto came to in a huge room, one with stairs leading off into shadowed corners, and with doors plastered on each square inch of the walls- and floor. The doorways were in constant motion: opening and closing, moving up and down, and even fading into nothingness and then coming back, a constant state of flux. Naruto idly noticed three sets of huge gated doors- one was barred across the front and was painted in a blindingly-wide array of colors- white, black, grey, purple, orange, yellow and green- and second other gate was slightly smaller, with red and black doors and bolts lying disused on the sides, a glowing red liquid slowly leaking out from the bottom. And then-

"**My door.**"

Naruto jumped at the sound- Shinigami's voice- coming from right behind him.

"Wha-where am I?"

Shinigami smirked. "**Boy, I have to admit: I am impressed that you managed this on the first attempt." **_**Though I'll never tell him just how much!**_

"Ehehe…"

Naruto put his hands behind his head and chuckled uneasily. "But…where am I?" he repeated.

"**Have you not guessed?"**

Naruto shook his head.

"**Very well then. I shall…inform you.**

"**This, for lack of a better term, is your mind."** Naruto's mouth formed a silent 'o'. **"What you see here are your thoughts, your dreams, and your secrets. That," **he said, pointing toward the multicolored door. "**That is the gateway to your innermost soul, a place of tranquility- or, so I'm told. My source of such things is my brother, Kami, and so we will have no use for **_**that**_** door.**

"**This next door," **the Death God went on. "**Is the entryway to a tunnel- and at the end of the tunnel, a cage. Do you see the mass leaking out from inside?"** Naruto gave a silent nod. **"That is chakra, or, more accurately, youki. Now, can you tell me where that doorway leads?"** Naruto's mind quickly moved, making connections, observing and thinking, and then-

"The Kyuubi!" he blurted out loudly.

"**Very good,"** the deity said, and Naruto grinned proudly.

"**Don't get overconfident."**

Naruto deflated.

"**Yes, this doorway would lead you to the residence of the Nine-Tailed Fox, who is currently imprisoned in your soul and in your body. You see those black markings on the sides? Those are my personal seals, forming the gateway to connect the Kyuubi's prison to your soul.**

"**And now,"** Shinigami finished grimly. "**I come to the final great door: mine."** Naruto froze.

"**This is the gateway to the representation of my power in your soul, Naruto," **the god said, for once using his student's first name. **"Through here is where you will access your powers- and it is near here that we will take the next step in what I am teaching you."**

The door was black, with a deep darkness that drew the eyes in before they slid off into nothingness. A single skull grinned out from the center of the doorway and Naruto shivered at the menace present.

"**There,"** the deity pointed out, and Naruto noticed another door, much smaller, to the side of the Shinigami's door. **"You will enter that door, and we will progress on."**

Naruto took a deep breath and suddenly found himself standing right in front of the door, a silver doorknob glinting as he reached for it with his shaking hand. He slowly opened it-

And stepped into the inky darkness beyond.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Naruto's first impression was of floating. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes, raising his hand to his forehead- and froze. His hand was slightly transparent.

"Gah!"

Naruto took one glance down at his feet and saw that they, too, were see-through- and what was more, beneath the sat…himself with a blank look on his face. Naruto quickly scrambled away, freaked out beyond all comprehension.

Shinigami suddenly appeared to Naruto's left and the boy gaped before finding his voice. "Wha-what happened to me?"

The god's voice was quiet and commanding. "**I separated your soul from your body, to put it simply,"** Shinigami said, and eyebrow raised at the blond's reaction. **"This way, you will able to learn from me easier, as it is easier to access your power at first without the hindrance of a mortal, physical body."**

Naruto was still dumbstruck. "But…how…what about my body?"

The Death God shook his head. **"While you train with me in spirit, your body will go to the Academy. It cannot function without a soul, however, and so I have prepared an artificial soul- one based off of your personality and abilities- to 'wear' your body. Observe."** With that, the deity placed his palm to the forehead of Naruto's physical body and a white light flared, making Naruto avert his eyes. When he turned back, his body was standing up, a cheeky grin on its face.

"Uzumaki Naruto, reporting for duty!"

Naruto gaped like a fish. "What…how…why…"

Shinigami resisted the urge to slap his forehead. **"This artificial soul will take your body to the Academy, learning anything about Konoha shinobi that it can. It will, of course, act exactly like you, so that your teachers and classmates do not become suspicious. Every night when you re-enter your body, it will assimilate your physical and mental memories- as will you of its. In short, you will both function as an advanced Shadow Clone for one other, though you will be able to fully use your body when you graduate."**

The god's grin was nearly feral and Naruto shuddered. "**Now…we begin training!"**

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

AN: And…CUT!

K, so not much to say besides "Vote on Naruto's teammates!"

Also: YES, there will be _some_ Bleach influences, but not too many! (Think of the last thing in this chapter as an actually _competent_ modsoul).

R&R!

-SoS, out!


	5. NOTE

**I AM SORRY, I POSTED THE WRONG ANNOUNCEMENT. PLEASE DISREGARD IT, AS IT HAS BEEN REMOVED. THIS STORY WILL, IN FACT, BE CONTINUING. I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY CONFUSION.**

Sorry once again, I posted something with a typo. It has been fixed, so please read this over again. Sorry.

NOTE: I will be going to Canada tomorrow, so there will be no updates for at least until the 23rd. I will try to work on my stories while I'm away, but don't expect a certainty of a super-update.

ALSO: For my story "Naruto Reads Naruto", I have received a few reviews asking me to stop doing 'Naruto One Man Team' and move on to the next story (Yet Again with a little extra help). The thing is, I would like to keep doing this fic, at least for the moment, but if my readers want otherwise… Well, it's up to you. So, for a while yet, I will be having a poll. Do you want me to:

Continue Naruto one man team:

OR

Switch fics:

BYE!

-SoS


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